Berlin (dpa) - Germany‘s contribution to the intensifying airstrikes on the Islamic State is a "message to the people of Syria" that the West is helping them, German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said Thursday.She spoke just before her departure to Turkey, where Germany will base six Tornado reconnaissance jets and refueling plane, and a day before Germany‘s parliament votes to authorize the deployment to assist Western strikes against Islamic State targets.She told a Berlin news conference she believed the people of Syria expected resolute aid by the international community to fight the Islamic State, which has seized a swathe of Syria and Iraq.But she said Germany was not intending to cooperate with the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad."We need this combination of airstrikes and local ground forces that have a vital interest in winning back territory," she added, pointing to German military training and arming of 5,500 Kurdish-led fighters so far in Iraq to fight the Islamic State.On Friday, Germany‘s parliament, which has the final say on all foreign deployments, is scheduled to vote on authorization for the Tornado jets, a refuelling plane, air-force personnel and a German Navy frigate to joint the Western military effort.Chancellor Angela Merkel‘s cabinet this week sought approval for the deployment of up to 1,200 military personnel, including the frigate crew, to support the international campaign to defeat Islamic State.The governing coalition has ample legislative votes to pass the authorization, even if large parts of the opposition refuse to back the plan.The year-long, 134-million-euro (142-million-dollar) mission will not involve the Germans conducting their own airstrikes.The frigate Augsburg is expected to provide backup to the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which has already been sent to the eastern Mediterranean as part of the anti-Islamic State coalition.Germany‘s highest military officer, Inspector General Volker Wieker, brushed aside reports that many of the elderly Tornado jets are not airworthy, saying the air force had 30 currently available to deploy.Von der Leyen said US forces would be responsible for combat search and rescue for German personnel operating in the conflict zone.Her spokesman said she would meet Turkish Defence Minister Ismet Yilmaz in the Turkish capital. Germany will base the Tornado jets at Incirlik air base in southern Turkey.
